Norwich

Norwich's population increased by about 11,000 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 130,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Norwich increased by 9.0%, from almost 122,000 to 133,000.

The addition of just under 11,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Norwich was home to, on average, 24 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Norwich

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Norwich decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This area had the third-lowest average age in Eastof England and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 5,800 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 700.

About 21.0% of people in Norwich are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Norwich

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Norwich was among those who said they had no religion, rising 15.5 points.

In 2011, 46.2% of respondents in Norwich gave this religion on the census compared with 30.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 48.9% said they were Christian, compared with 66.8% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 10.6% to 8.9%.

In Norwich, 8.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.6% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Norwich increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Norwich by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Norwich

Norwich saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under one in two (46.9%) people aged 16 and over in Norwich said they were single, compared with 39.8% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 39.2% to 33.7%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 30.5% to 38.7%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.4% to 31.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Norwich residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.8% to 5.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80.3%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64.9% in 2001. The percentage of Norwich residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25.2% to 14.1%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England, while the percentage of residents that perceived their health as good or very good grew faster than anywhere else in the region

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Norwich decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Norwich, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Norwich saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just over 1 in 19 (5.4%) people aged 16 to 74 in Norwich said they were in education, compared with 3.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed remained close to 50.7%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield saw a greater rise in the proportion of students (from 4.0% to 6.8%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of students, as the regional average grew from 2.3% to 3.0%.

The percentage of students in Norwich increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Norwich, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Norwich working less than 16 hours increased from 2.4% to 4.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Norwich increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Norwich, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Norwich saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under 1 in 15 (6.7%) households in Norwich had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.5% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 23.7% to 23.3%.

Across the region, Watford saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 9.8% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Norwich

The percentage of Norwich residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.8% to 3.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.0%, while the percentage of Norwich residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.0%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Norwich at a faster rate than in Broadland (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Norwich).

In Norwich, the proportion of private renting increased from 13.3% in 2001 to 21.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Broadland increased from 6.8% to 10.4%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

The rate of social housing in Norwich fell from 36.0% to 32.7%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 48.7% to 43.8%.

Private renting in Norwich increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Norwich, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Norwich

In 2011, 4.4% of Norwich residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 1.2% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 90.8% of people in Norwich said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.8% in 2001. About 2.3% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.4% to 1.6%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Norwich increased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Norwich, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.4% to 10.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in four (22.7%) households had a married couple, compared with 25.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Norwich, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 11.1% to 12.8%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Norwich residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.9% to 2.2% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Norwich remained close to 2.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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